Combination tie plate



March 31, 1931. F. c. HASSE ET AL COMBINATION TIEPLATE Filed Sept 28. 1929 a W 76AM 1 ATTORNEYS companying illustration in which:

Patented Mar. 31, 1931 airs:

WAR-E TE S FRANK C. HASSE, OF LA GRANGE, AND ISAIAI-I ASSIGNORS TO OXWELD'EA'ILROAD SERVICE PAT-E COMBINATION TIE PLATE Application filed September 28, 1929. Serial No. 395,862.-

lhis invention pertains to a device for fastening a railroad rail to a tie, and more specifically to a steel tie composed of two suitable lengths of railroad rail.

Sections of rails have been used as ties heretofore but the practice has been rather limited on account of the lack of suitable means for fastening them to the rails.

Therefore, one object of this invention is to provide an economical means for fastening a railroad rail to a tie and especially a steel tie composed of two suitable lengths of railroad rail. Another object is to provide a means for fasteninng a rail to such a tie so the rail will not creep. Another object is to provide a combination tie plate, rail fastener, and anti-creeper adapted for being modified to fasten a rail to a tie other than that shown herein suchas that specifically described in our copendingpatent application bearing Serial Number 395,861. Other aims, objects, and novel features will be apparent from the following description and the ac- Fig. 1 1s a side view of our improved combination tie plate; 7

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the plate isolated from its associated mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a side View of the back block;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the clip;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the wedge;

F 7 is a side view of the key; and,

Fig. 8 is a side view of the cotter.

One embodiment of the broad invention may be the combination tie plate shown in the accompanying drawing comprising a plate 10; a back block 11; a clip 12; a wedge 13 a key 14; and a cotter 15; constructed, assembled, and associated with a rail 16' and a tie 17 in the following manner.

lVhen rails are used as ties, duplicate sections 17 of suitable length are usually joined to form a single tie to which the rails are fastened. For simplicity, only one end of such a tie will be shown and described herein together with our improved means for joining the duplicate portions thereof and for fastening a rail thereto, it being understood also in alignment With the that the means for joining the sections of the tie and for fastening the rail thereto is the same at each end of the tie.

The plate 10 is'formed of a rectangular piece of iron or steel of suitable thickness having a tongue 18 substantially central of one end that is separated from the plate 10 along the sides o'f the tongue which is bent over to form an abutment or socket for one edge of the rail 16. In the portion of the plate 10 not covered on the upper side by the rail 16 or on the under side by the tie sections 17 a rectangular opening 19 is provided having the outer edge 20 thereof substantially flush or in vertical alignment with the inner edge of the rail 16, when the outer edge ofthe railis seated in the socket 1-8. The width of the plate 10 is substantially that of the distance between the outside of the tread of the rail sections 17 forming the tie when the bases thereof are abutted or slightly separated. The opening 19 is substantially mid way between the edges of the plate 10 and socket or abutment 18.

The back block 11 has parallel sides and a" width slightly less than that of the opening 19 in the plate 10; The top and bottom are at right angles to the sides, right angles to the top and bottom, but the face 2t or outside surface is inclined outwardly from bottom to top for a purpose that will be described presently. The back or inside surface of the block 11 has a recess 22 therein adapted to" fit over the inside I edge of the opening 19 for the purpose of holding the block in fixed relation to the plate lOwhen the device is assembled.

The clip 12 is rectangular in shape and about the same width and height as the back block 11. The outside surface of the clip has a recess 23 therein with the upper wall thereof inclined relative to the lower. The distance between these walls is suchthat when the clip is forced over the contiguous edges of the base of the rail: l6and the opening 19 of the plate-10, the inclined the recess 23 will clamp the rail 16 to the plate 10;

The Wedge 13'is about as wide as the back and the back is at walls of.

block 11 and the clip 12. The top, bottom, sides, and outside face, are at right angles to each other, but the inside face is inclined outwardly from bottom to top at the same angle as the outside surface 21 of the back block 11. Also, the wedge 13 is somewhat longer than either the back block or clip, and it has a rectangular aperture 24 extending therethrough from side to side near the small end thereof. This aperture 24 is positioned so that a portion thereof is above the top of the plate 10 when the device is assembled, and the top of the aperture is inclined with relation to the top and sides of the wedge so it is at an angle thereto.

The key 14 has a thickness slightly less than the width of the aperture 24, and one of the sides thereof is inclined with relation to the other. The width of the key at the large end is less than the length of the aperture 24, so the key 14 will pass therethrough. This feature is not important as the mechanism will perform its intended function if the key does not pass through the aperture in the wedge. Extending from side to side through the small end of the key are a plurality of holes 25 of such size that the cotter 15 may be inserted in one of them to lock the mechanism together in a manner to be described later.

When the combination tie plate described herein is assembled and performing its intended function, the plate 10 is welded to the two sections of the tie 17 at the four points 26 where the ends of the plate 10 cross the top of the tie sections. Vhile the, amount of welding employed to secure the plate 10 to the tie 17 may vary according to the severity of the service the device is called upon to withstand, we have, nevertheless, found that welding the ends of the plate to the top of the tie provides sufficient strength to safely carry the loads placed upon railroads at the present time. i v

The other edge of the base of the rail 16 is firmly seated in the socket or abutment 18 which is formed so that the inner surface thereof conforms closely to the contour of th e rail. The recess 23 of the clip 12 surrbunds the inner edge of the rail 16 and the outer edge 20 of the opening 19. The walls of this recess 23 are inclined so that the bottom conforms to the bottom of the plate 10 and the top conforms to the top of the rail 16 when the inside wall of the clip 12 is substantially vertical or at rightangle to the upper surface of the plate 10.

The back block 11 is also positioned within the opening 19 so the inner edge of the opening is in the recess 22 of the back block,

and the inclined face thereof is toward the clip 12 and the rail 16. The recesses in the back block and the clip hold them securely in assembled position and prevent them from moving either up or down with relation to the plate 10.

The wedge 13 is positioned within the opening 19 with the small end thereof upward so the inclined face of the wedge is in contact with the similarly inclined face of the back block 11, and the vertical face thereof is in contact with the vertical face of the clip 12. The wedge is of such thickness that when in this position enough of the aperture 24 extends above the upper surface of the plate 10 to provide room for the key'14.

The key 14 is within the aperture 24 in such a manner that the inclined face thereof is uppermost and in contact with the similarly inclined upper wall of the aperture 24, and the lower face thereof is in contact with the upper surface of the plate 10 at each side of the opening 19.

During the operation of assembling the component parts of the device into the relative positions just described, the key 14 is driven some distance into the aperture 24 of the wedge 13 thereby forcing the wedge in an upward direction between the back block 11 and the clip 12. The wedge, in turn, forces the clip 12 over the edges of the rail 16 and the plate 10 with sufficient force to clamp the rail to the plate with sufficient pressure to prevent the rail 16 from creeping or moving relative to the tie plate.

After the combination tie plate has been assembled so that the component parts thereof are in the relative positions just described, and the key 14 has been driven into the aperture 24 of the wedge 13, a cotter 15 is inserted in the one of the holes 25 that is nearest the side of the wedge 13 facing the small end of the key 14. This cotter holds the key 14 in fixed position relative to the wedge 13 and, therefore, holds the combination tie plate in assembled position.

This method of clamping a rail to a tie plate is unique in the fact that a series of three wedges are employed in a combination that is arranged so the first exerts a strong force to move the second, which, in turn, exerts a much stronger force on the third, and the clamping pressure is that exerted against the inclined sides of the third wedge. By this unique arrangement a much greater clamping pressure is secured than that usually employed. Therefore, the rail is held to the tie more securely and with sufficient pressure so that it does not creep. This eliminates the necessity for anti-creepers which are a source of trouble and only partially effective.

The major elements of the three wedge combination, referred to above, are: the tapered key 14 which is considered as being the first wedge; the wedge 13 which is considered as being the second that is moved by the first; and the contiguous edges of the base of the rail 16 and the outer edge 20 of the opening 19 of the plate 10 are considered as the third upon which the pressure of the second is exerted through the medium of the clip 12. The pressure exerted upon the tapering sides of this third wedge is also the pressure which clamps the two portions thereof together and, as one of these is a portion of the rail and the other is a portion of the plate, the pressure exerted upon the tapering sides of the third wedge is, therefore, the pressure that clamps the rail to the tie plate and, in turn, to the tie to which the tie plate is Welded.

It is understood, of course, that this combinaticn tie plate may be modified so that it may be attached to metal ties of different kinds and to ties of materials other than metal, and the means for attaching the rail to the plate may also be used with plates of other kinds and forms. Furthermore, the size of the component parts of the combination may be changed to meet the needs of various classes of service, and the arrangement thereof may be altered to meet the needs of divers conditions without departing from the invention or sacrificing any of the rights thereunder.

We claim:

1. Means, for attaching a railroad rail to a tie, comprising; a plate adapted for being attached to said tie and having a rigid socket for the outer edge of said rail; a clip adapted for being moved to clamp the inner edge of said rail to said plate; a wedge for moving said clip; and a tapered key for moving said wedge.

2. Means, for attaching a railroad rail to a tie, comprising; a plate adapted for being attached to said tie and having a rigid socket for the outer edge of said rail and, also, an opening therein having one edge thereof substantially flush with the inner edge of said rail; a clip adapted for being moved to clamp the inner edge of said rail to the outer edge of said opening; a Wedge, for moving said clip, having an aperture therein; and a tapered key movable in said aperture for moving said wedge.

3. Means, for attaching a railroad rail to a tie, comprising; a plate adapted for being attached to said tie and having a rigid socket for the outer edge of said rail and, also, an opening in a portion thereof not covered by said rail; a clip adapted for being moved to clamp the inner edge of said rail to the outer edge of said opening; a back block having a recess therein fitting over the inner edge of said opening; a wedge between said back block and said clip and movable therebetween to move said clip; and a tapered key for moving said wedge.

4. Means, for attaching a railroad rail to a tie, comprising; a plate adapted for being attached to said tie and having a socket for the outer edge of said rail and, also, an opentherein with a portionthereof above the-top -S d pl and a ap ed-key i sa ape u e f m vi s dveda 5.- M n for attach n wa ead a 'l a t mp is plate adapte fo .beie attached to said tie and having a socket for s i a d, also, a pen ng th e n; a p i sa d: P I J-Q and adap ed "fe beiag moved to clamp said rail to a said plate; a a k l k l a openin a Wed movab e i a d r H n to m r id c ipand-ha ing n ap e un h re n a tapered key bearng upo th t wisai per ur a d r e h t p f a Pl e-a w abl toan ve said wedge.

6- M -mat ttac n 'milaoa rai'lt a t p i in a pl t adap ed f being at Said t d havin a spel ng therein for means to attach it to s aid-r2 1il;-a clip movable to clamp said railjto saidplate; a back block; a Wedge movable between said back block and said clip to nove'the latte-r, Said Wedge h vi ai -ape u e there n; a key movable in said aperture to move said Wedge, sa k y h ng a plura y of h l s therein; anda cotter in, one of said holes to l Said k i fi d pos tion re ati eto said we dge. V

7. Means, for attaching arailroad rail-t0 a tie, comprising; a plate adaptedfor being attached t sa ti and ha n anep i therein for means to attach it to said rail;, a clip movable-t0 clamp said rail to said plate; a back block; a wedge movable between said clip and said backblock and having an aperture in the small end thereof; a key movable in said aperture and having a plurality of holes in the small end thereof; and a cotter in one of said holes to hold said key in fixed position relative to said wedge.

8. Means, for attaching a railroad rail to a tie, comprising; a plate adapted for being attached to said tie and having an opening therein; a clip movable in said opening to clamp said rail to said tie plate; a back block fixed in said opening; a Wedge movable in said opening to move said clip and having an aperture therein; a key movable in said aperture and outside of said opening to move said Wedge; and means for holding said key in a fixed position relative to said Wedge.

9. Means, for attaching a railroad rail to a tie, comprising the combination of; a plate adapted for being attached to said tie and having a socket for one edge of said rail; means adapted for being moved to clamp the other edge of said rail to said plate; means for moving said last mentioned means; means for moving said last mentioned means; and means for holding said last mentioned means in fixed position with relation to the means mentioned next before. 7

10. Means, for attaching a railroad rail to a tie, comprising the combination of; a plate adapted for being attached to said tie and provided with stationary means for holding one edge of said rail; a clip adapted for being moved to clamp the other edge of said rail to said plate; a wedge adapted for moving said clip; a back block forming an abutment for said wedge; a tapered key for moving said wedge; and means for holding said key in fixed position with relation to said wedge.

11. Means, for attaching a railroad rail to a tie, comprising the comblnation of; a plate adapted for being attached to said tieand provided with stationary means for holding one edge of said rail; a clip extending through said plate and adapted for. being moved to clamp said rail thereto; a wedge extending through said plate and adapted for moving said clip; aback block extending through said plate and forming an abutment for said wedge; a tapered key located'above said plate and adapted for moving said wedge; and means for holding said key in fixed position with relation to said wedge.

12. Means, for attaching a railroad rail to a tie, comprisin'g the combination of; a plate adapted for being attached to a tie; a wedge adapted for being moved with relation to said plate; a second wedge adapted for being moved by said first mentioned wedge; and a clip'adapted for being moved by said second wedge to clamp said rail to said plate.

In testimony whereoflwe aflix our signatures.

FRANK C. HASSE. ISAIAH ALLISON.v 

